STAYING TRUE: Live Courageously

The world is not always content to leave monotheistic followers alone. It is common that if one doesn’t believe in one God, or if one doesn’t believe in a particularly named god, then one is at odds with the society.  If you stop and think about it, that is to be expected. If you “follow the rules” of the creator God of the Universe, then those who “follow the rules” of the “luckily born king de jure” will consider you are an outlier of society.  Often If they can’t persuade us to join them in what they’re doing, or who they are honoring, they will try to keep us from practicing our faith. The choice is ours: heed and honor humanity’s ideas or heed and honor God’s ideas.  We will see what Daniel does in this lesson.

The point is, always do the right thing in God’s strength, or more specifically ALWAYS heed and honor God and God’s teachings!

As we study today, we are reminded of our current political situation, the “political parties”, or more accurately “the parties adhering to the power of the various human policy making entities (politics),” want EVERYONE to play by THEIR rules.  “The XYZ party is right and good, no the ABC party is right and good” and there is a constant struggle to sway the thinking and beliefs of others to their way of thinking.  Godly people, however, are more concerned with heeding God and his teaching than they are in pleasing humanity so, typically they are a thorn in the side of both the XYZ party and the ABC party.  So both sides seek to subdue, or even eradicate, Godly people from the “game”.

All of this policy making influencing (politics) has distilled into large overall groups:  “The XYZ party is the best, no the ABC party is the best” and there is a constant struggle to sway the thinking and beliefs of others to their way of thinking.  Godly people, however, are more concerned with heeding God and his teaching than they are in pleasing humanity so, typically they are a thorn in the side of both the XYZ party and the ABC party.  So both sides seek to subdue, or even eradicate, Godly people from the “game”.

But other than the power of personal politics, why would heeding God and his teachings even matter to the world? Why wouldn’t they just “write off” that particular segment of the population and proceed on their way?  Why seek to “destroy” Godly people and their beliefs?  The simple answer is because our actions shine the light of Christ and expose their darkness. Or stated another way, “our actions make them look bad” and they don’t like to be made to “look bad”; they have no trouble BEING bad, they just don’t want to look the part.  

When Daniel faced a similar circumstance, he was not fazed. Even knowing the consequences of doing so, he continued to heed God’s teachings and honored God even in the face of being torn and eaten by wild lions.  Daniel sets a good example for us as we look at Daniel 6:6-13,16-17,and 21-23.

Daniel was so renown for his honesty and integrity that the Persian leader, Darius, decided to elevate Daniel over all the other officials in the whole kingdom. This set the stage for a perfect example of corrupt human officials strategizing “hey, this guy can’t be corrupted…he is hurting the business for the rest of us. That makes us LOOK bad!”

Realizing they would never be able to accuse Daniel of a corruption charge related to his government responsibilities that would stick, a number of corrupt government officials sought to find a way to use his monotheistic faith against him.  They literally sought to destroy him BECAUSE he was a just and upright individual.  Let’s see what their strategy was and what Daniel did about it.

Daniel 6:6-10

6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.

7 All the administrators of the kingdom—the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors—have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edict and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.” 9 So King Darius signed the written edict. 

10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

The night Babylon fell, October 11/12, 539 BC, Darius the Mede became the new ruler.  Darius appointed 120 satraps throughout the empire.  These satraps, or governors, oversaw the various regions of Darius’ new kingdom.  To supervise these governors Darius appointed three administrators (think cabinet officials), and Daniel was one of these officials. The administrators were to control corruption and make certain “the king would not be defrauded”. A good job for Daniel, but bad news for corrupt governors.

When Daniel “distinguished himself above” the others, Darius “planned to set him over the whole realm”, creating jealousy and concern among the other officials, especially corrupt ones.  A group of them conspired a plan that would seem believable to the king, but would unknowingly work to destroy Daniel.  You know, politics.  The conspirators lied. They made it appear that every official—including Daniel—supported the idea they were about to present to the king. It’s the same as is done today, “Look, ALL of the state governments are for proposition X, so just follow along.”

Just as with modern politics, the plotters wanted their plan codified into royal law, as an “ordinance” issued in writing as an “edict.” Their plan contained three components. First, they wanted it codified in a form that could not be changed. Second, it would be temporary, not a permanent law, being in effect for only thirty days. Third, anyone who disobeyed the law would suffer an extreme punishment—thrown into the lions’ den, a threat the king probably assumed would ensure no one would violate the edict. The proposal was based in flattery and placed the king on the same level as deity.  “Look king, it makes you a god, it’s ONLY temporary, and the punishment is primarily ‘symbolic’.  It CAN’T hurt anyone.”

The newly proposed laws would make “making a request” of any god, but Darius the king, illegal for 30 days and result in death.  That petitions could only be made to the king placed him above the gods of the conquered nations and acknowledged Darius to be their living representative. This would have boosted the king’s ego and compelled all subjects in the extensive former Babylonian Empire to acknowledge their loyalty to the new Medo-Persian Empire and its ruler.

Further they sought, in our terms, to make this a “constitutional amendment” that was unchangeable by anyone…and after all it would only be for a month…

But this law “of the Medes and Persians” stood in direct conflict with “the law of his God”. This law made an absolute demand, supported by an irrevocable injunction—no one was to pray to any god or man other than the king under the penalty of death—thus raising the secular state to the level of quasi-divine authority. But God’s law also makes absolute and irrevocable demands.  As we will see, Daniel dared to defy the state’s law and obey God’s law.

The king’s edict did not stop Daniel from practicing his faith openly. He would not compromise even in the face of a threat of a gruesome death. Daniel’s house had an upstairs with windows opened toward Jerusalem—the direction in which he prayed as Solomon during the dedication of  the Jerusalem temple about 960 BC, prayed. Should the Israelites be taken captive they would pray looking toward Jerusalem and the temple, that God would hear their petitions.  Daniel honored his relationship with God and refused to allow his relationship with a King interfere with his relationship with God.  Let’s see what he did.

Daniel 6:11-13

11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. 12 So they approached the king and asked about his edict: “Didn’t you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order stands and is irrevocable.”

13 Then they replied to the king, “Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you, the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.”

What a coincidence!  The group of administrative officials from around the country just HAPPENED to go and see Daniel during Daniel’s prayer time.  This is the second time that they went  as a group of conspirators.  Because they knew Daniel’s faithful prayer habit, they anticipated what his response to the edict would be and went together to spy on him with evil (harmful) intent as they acted in concert. They confirmed that Daniel had not changed or modified his devotional practice. 

These men had no trouble seeing Daniel praying. Petitioning his God is precisely what these officials had duped the king into prohibiting. Daniel was praying to God and requesting His mercy.  These corrupt officials were shrewd politicians. When they went before the king to accuse Daniel, they did not present their real issue immediately. They kept their real agenda hidden, making it appear their concern was not personal but an issue of patriotism, loyalty, and justice in regard to the kingdom. First, they raised a question “Say….King….didn’t you pass a constitutional amendment that people could ONLY invoke aid from YOU for 30 days?  And didn’t you prescribe the death penalty for all who refused?” They got the king to affirm that “the order stands” and that it was “irrevocable.” With that admission and confirmation, they displayed their real agenda—their accusation against Daniel.

Daniel had loyally served both the Babylonians and now the Medes and Persians for over sixty years. Yet, when the officials mentioned Daniel, they emphasized his heritage as a captured foreigner, and “not one of US.”  Which, of course was correct.  Daniel was neither corrupt nor a dishonest government official.

The second part of the officials’ description accused Daniel of disrespect. They made this point as strong as possible accusing Daniel of insulting both the king and the law of the land. They turned Daniel’s devotional practice into a personal affront of the king.  They also made the point was that Daniel didn’t just violate the king’s edict once but that he persistently and repeatedly violated it three times a day, showing no regard for the law or for the one who issued it. (Gee, at 3 times a day for 30 days, I guess they were seeking 90 death penalties for Daniel).

Daniel 6:16-17,21-23

16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you continually serve, rescue you!” 

 

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed.

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21 Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever. 

22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.”

23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was brought up from the den, he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God.

As soon as Darius realized he had been tricked and trapped, he was displeased—perhaps with his officials who concocted the clever plot, or perhaps with himself for allowing himself to be naïvely manipulated because of his ego. For the rest of the day, Darius tried to find a way to rescue Daniel, but he could not—the law was irrevocable. When for the third time, these corrupt officials appeared together they approached the king with a question, and forced the king’s hand to order Daniel thrown into the lions’ den. 

With no other option, the king uttered, “May your God . . . rescue you!” King Darius was not ignorant of Daniel’s faithfulness in the service of his God. He had observed Daniel’s lifestyle, ethics, and faithfulness. What a clear testimony Daniel had, and what an opportunity to bring glory to God.

Not only did they throw him in the lion den, they used their seals to demonstrate that the den remain sealed during the duration. The purpose of the seal was to ensure that the entrance was not tampered with overnight, either by the king’s servants, Daniel’s friends, or his enemies. If the seals were broken, then they would know the entrance to the pit had been tampered with. But not only did the king seal the den, the nobles ALSO sealed the entrance with their signet rings to demonstrate that no one but the king AND his nobles could open and reseal the den.  The conspirators wanted to ensure the king didn’t attempt to rescue Daniel, or that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed. 

After a restless night with no sleep, King Darius rushed to the lions’ den in the morning and in anguish called out to Daniel to see if he were still alive, probably not expecting an answer. Daniel responded with honorific words. Responding to the king in such a courtly protocol, Daniel’s calmness contrasts with the king’s anxiety. This is the first time Daniel referred to Darius as king, affirming it to be so. Daniel’s words “live forever” mean “for a long time” or “may your days be many.” However, by using this expression, Daniel was echoing Darius’s words “servant of the living God” and linking the king’s life, power, and authority to that of the living God.

That God sent His angel was a vindication of Daniel and a proof he was innocent. The angel, Daniel said, “Shut the lions’ mouths”,  attributing this action to the angel God sent. Three reasons are given in the text. First, Daniel “was found innocent.” Second, Daniel’s actions and behavior in light of the edict had “not done harm.” Third, Daniel “trusted in his God” The triple wordplay on “harm” stresses the lions’ didn’t harm Daniel, Daniel’s actions didn’t harm the king, and Daniel was found unharmed after spending a night with the lions. That the king was exceedingly glad shows the king’s feeling toward Daniel’s life being spared—he was relieved to say the least. Literally, “it pleased him exceedingly” or “it was exceedingly good.” 

The concluding explanation for the fact Daniel emerged from the ordeal entirely uninjured was because he trusted God. “Trusted” affirms Daniel’s total faith in God and his reliance on Him. This summary statement refers more to when Daniel made a conscious decision to continue his custom of praying to God three times a day than to when he was thrown into the lions’ den. These words actually describe all of Daniel’s life. 

When we TRUST God we CAN live courageously and do the right thing.